Breaking
by Rory Carlisle
Summary: It's been two years since Dom Cobb last entered the dreams of others. Two years since he's been home, and he's happy. But now there's a new job for him, one that he can't say no to...because saying no will end with a bullet in his head.
1. Prologue

**BREAKING**

**Prologue**

"_Is this a dream..?"_

"_No."_

"_What is it, then?"_

"…_a memory."_

* * *

Dom Cobb stood on the outskirts of his property, just on the edge of his lawn. Beside him stood Phillipa, tall for her age, with tousled blonde hair that tumbled down her back in unruly curls.

"Daddy?" she said. Dom glanced down at her. "Yes?"

"Is Mommy ever coming back?"

The pain was sharp; immediate. He didn't flinch.

"No, sweetie."

Phillipa pushed yellow strands from her face with one dirt-streaked hand. "Why not?"

Dom sighed. He knelt down beside his daughter, taking her small face in his large hands. "Mommy's in heaven, sweetheart." he said softly. "I told you that."

She nodded in understanding. "Like my rabbit."

Dom let out a gentle laugh, the sound oddly loud in the silent twilight. "Yes," he said. "Like your rabbit."

Off in the distance, he could hear the faint noise of a phone ringing. It stopped after a second, and then the voice of his mother-in-law could be heard calling out "Dom! Phone!"

Taking Phillipa's hand, Dom crossed the lawn, his bare feet ruffling through the emerald green of the grass. His daughter ambled along beside him, her eight-year old body dwarfed next to his own. Smiling, Dom picked her up and swung her up into his arms, her cheerful giggling resonating inside of his head. He stepped into the house, carting Phillipa over to June.

"Thank you." he said, and took the phone, pressing it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Dom Cobb?"

"Speaking."

"I have a job for you."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"I thought you stopped extracting."

The look on Cobb's face was a mixture of surprise, resignation, and irritation. He ran a hand through his hair.

"I did. So did you."

"I haven't seen you in almost two years, and _that's_ the greeting I get?"

Cobb let out a snort. "Hello, Arthur."

The Point Man smiled. _Same old Cobb._ "Hello, Dom, how are you? How are the children?"

"They're fine." Cobb answered, throwing his bag onto the desk. His tone was short; almost abrupt. Cobb did not like being away from his family, especially after only just getting them back. "Getting big."

"Phillipa's eight now, isn't she?" Arthur said, leaning back against a table and folding his arms across his chest. "And James is nearly five?"

"Yes." Cobb said, as he sat down in a chair facing him.

_Yes. Same old Dom_.

The warehouse was smaller than Arthur had expected it to be, though still large enough to fit an entire airplane inside of it, if need be. It had been unused for several years now, the steel beams stretching out above their heads covered in old birds' nests, the glass of the windows streaked with brown and green. However most of the interior – though a little dusty here and there – was relatively clean otherwise, each of the mismatched pieces of furniture neat and tidy.

"Good evening, gentlemen." A familiar voice wafted through the expansive building. Cobb swiveled in his chair. "You're here too, are you Saito?"

The Japanese man arched an eyebrow. He looked nearly the same as he had two years previous, though there were a few more streaks of grey in his dark hair. "Well, that is not a very encouraging greeting, now is it, Mr. Cobb?" he said lightly, pulling down on the cuff of his sleeve. "I expected better from you."

Cracking a smile, Cobb reached up, shaking Saito's hand. "Welcome back."

"All right, darlings, I'm here. No need to worry."

Arthur scowled. "There's more worry when you're _here_, not when you're _away, _Eames."

The Forger looked at him with a mock innocent expression, all but throwing himself down into the nearest empty chair and crossing one leg over the other, his fingers linked behind his head. "Why, my dear Arthur, I have no idea what you are implying there."

Cobb was shaking his head while Saito simply looked on, a small smile on his face. Arthur did not particularly enjoy the looks he was getting from them.

"Almost all here." Cobb said, glancing around the warehouse. "Where are Yusuf and Ariadne?"

Arthur attempted to keep his expression neutral. "I'm not sure." he answered, which was mostly the truth. "Who asked you to do this job, anyway?"

Cobb shook his head, the expression on his face dark. His hair had grown longer, brushing against the collar of his jacket. "I'm not sure." he said, voice thick with anger. "But whoever it was gave me no choice."

Arthur tugged absently at a stray thread sticking out from the bottom of his vest, his thoughts racing. After their last (and final) inception, they had all gone their separate ways: Cobb, home to his children, Eames and Yusuf back to Mumbai, and Arthur back to the States. As for Ariadne…well, he had not seen her since she had gone back to France with Cobb's father-in-law, Miles. She had been intent on her studies, and he had written her perhaps once or twice, but Arthur had been working as an analyst for a major corporation and had not had the time to do anything _but_ work for the past two years.

He had thought about her, of course. Much too often.

There was a clattering noise and the door to the warehouse slid noisily open, a shaggy dark head peering in. Yusuf shoved into the room, carrying a black backpack in one hand as he made his way over to where they all were.

"Hey," he said cheerfully, seating himself beside Cobb in a plush (albeit somewhat ratty) old armchair. "Looks like we're all here."

"Almost." said Arthur. Cobb slid him a sideways glance, which he ignored. "We're still missing our architect."

"No, you're not."

Arthur felt something twist in his stomach as he turned his head. Cobb stood up, reaching out and giving her a brief embrace. It was quick and simple, as if he had not particularly intended to do it, but he was smiling as he stepped away.

"Ariadne." he said.

She looked different. Her hair was cut shorter, only down to her shoulders now, though the dark waves had stayed the same color. A few inches taller, her face looked a small bit thinner, and she wore less makeup than she had the first time Arthur had seen her.

But just as beautiful. Arthur let a small smile tug on the corners of his lips, not moving from where he stood, even as she turned her face to look at him.

"Hey, Arthur."

"Ariadne," he said, raising his eyebrows. "Couldn't say away, could you?"

He was being glib. They had no choice in the matter. She gave him a scrutinizing expression, tilting her head to the side before a wry smile appeared. "No," she said. "It's just…creating."

Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Cobb, who said with an angry hiss "Except this time there's a price on _all_ of our heads, not just mine."

Everyone in the room fell silent. Arthur's fingers pricked at his cufflinks.

"Why?" Ariadne finally said, asking the question that no one else dared. "Why are they making us do this?"

"Because you're the best, of course."


End file.
